Draft-operated drive means for clocks and the like



Aug. 11, 1964 D. F. MINGRONE 3,144,098

DRAFT-OPERATED DRIVE MEANS FOR CLOCKS AND THE LIKE Filed May 2, 1963INVENTOR.

ome/720k 1' M51 ["0/76 United States Patent "ce 3,144,098 DRAFT-OPERATEDDRIVE MEANS FOR CLOCKS AND THE LIKE Domenick F. Mingrone, 37 ElizabethSt., Derby, Conn.

Filed May 2, 1963, Ser. No. 277,582

- 1 Claim. (Cl. 185-40) The present invention relates to draft-operateddrive means and more particularly to a draft-operated motor connected toa drive mechanism provided with means for continuously winding remotelydisposed clocks.

Heretofore, efiorts have been made to provide a' draftoperated drivemeans for winding clocks and the like which have been inserted in thewall of a chimney and directly connected to a clock or the like. Suchmeans, it will be apparent, must be located in a room in which thechimney is contiguous and can be only located on the wall adjacent thechimney.

The present invention overcomes these difliculties by providing a novelunit mounted in a vertically disposed pipe section which is adapted tobe connected into the flue in a chimney or the like in any convenientlocation and has drive means mounted on the pipe section. The pipesection is adapted to be connected by other pipe sections to the flue ofthe chimney so that the draft in the chimney will cause air to flowupwardly through the section. A rotating vane, connected to a verticallydisposed shaft in the pipe section, is connected to a drive mechanismincorporating a spring having a slip connection to prevent overwindingthereof and to remotely disposed clocks which are connected to the drivemechanism by flexible drive cables extending from the drive mechanism toany room in the house in which the clock is disposed to provide a driveconnection for a clock in said room. Preferably, the pipe section may beprovided with auxiliary vent means for increasing the draft through thepipe section to insure adequate turning of the Vane in the unit.

A feature of the invention resides in the ease of installation of theunit in the most advantageous location to provide the best operatingdraft, and in the convenience and the location of the remotely disposedclocks. It is particularly useful in connection with alarm clocks, andespecially those of the 24 hour variety, which will insure operation ofthe alarm under all circumstances.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thespecification and claim when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows the unit in position and connected to a remotely disposedclock.

FIG. 2 -is a longitudinal section through the pipe showing the vane inposition.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the drive mechanism on the side of thepipe section.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken through the spring drum showing thegear drive connected thereto.

As shown in FIG. 2, the draft-operated drive means of the presentinvention comprises a draft functioning motor in the form of a pipesection having a disk-like vane 11 disposed therein and secured to ashaft 12 rotatably mounted in bearing means 13 having cap jewel or thelike anti-friction bearings to provide a freely rotating shaft, whichbearing means is carried by a bracket or bridge 14 within the pipesection so that the shaft is located axially of the pipe section and thevane is so disposed as to extend substantially across the entireinternal area of the cross-section of the pipe section as shown in FIGS.2 and 4.

The unit is to be disposed in a vertical position and is connected by anelbow or the like 15 to a fitting 16 disposed in the wall of a chimney17 communicating with 3,144,098 Patented Aug. 11., 1964 5 Also, ventmeans including upwardly inclined tubular passages 20 projecting fromthe sides of the unit can be provided for effecting a venturi action soas to increase the flow of air into the pipe section and rotate thevane.

As shown in FIG. 2, a deflector means or ring 21 can be provided on theinner Walls of the pipe section to insure that the air passing throughthe pipe section will flow through the Vane means.

The rotating vane and its shaft are arranged to drive a shaft 22projecting through the side of the pipe section and geared to the drivemechanism 23. While this may take various forms, in the illustrated andpreferred form of the invention, the shaft 12 connected to the vane isprovided with a worm gear 24 which drives a wormwheel 25 mounted on theshaft 22 projecting from the side of the pipe section. This shaft isgeared through a train of gearing 26 to the gear 27 on a rotatable drum28 enclosing a spring 29. The outer end 29a of the spring frictionallyengages the inner wall of the drum and provides a slip drivingconnection thereto, while the inner end 2% of the spring is connected toa drive shaft 30 projecting from the drive mechanism and to which acoupling 31 of a flexible drive shaft or cable 32 is connected.

The flexible drive cable can be of any desired length in order toconnect the drive means to any room in the house and can have its otherend connected to the winding stem on the clock to maintain the clockwound at all times.

While the drive mechanism can be provided with suitable gearing to drivea plurality of clocks simultaneously from the draft-operated drive meansin the illustrated form of the invention, for the purpose of simplicity,it is shown as employing a single driving cable.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the novel draftoperated drivemeans can be located in the basement or any other convenient place inthe house and connected to the flue of the chimney so as to provide amaximum flow of air therethrough to rotate the vane therein and actuatethe drive means, and the clocks can be located in the various rooms ofthe house and in such locations in the rooms as may be convenient andconnected by the driving cable to the drive means.

Furthermore, the drive means is so constructed that should the clocksbecome completely wound or the rotation of the drive cable stopped forany reason, the slip connection of the spring in the drum will preventany damage to the drive means or to the clocks.

Since the present invention is independent of continuous electriccurrent or periodic winding by a person, it will maintain the clocks,particularly 24 hour alarm or 8- day or striking clocks, operatingwithout interruption indefinitely and maintain accurate time. This is ofsubstantial advantage, particularly in rural areas or any place wherethe electric current is not 60 cycles.

Also, the drive mechanism is capable, with suitable gearing, of drivinga plurality of clocks in various rooms, if desired.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claimand portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

A draft functioning unit to be connected to a chimney flue by a pipecoupling, said unit comprising a section having cylindrical side wallsand an open top and bottom, bearing means disposed within the sectionand secured to the side walls, a first shaft rotatably carried by saidbearing means and disposed axially of said section, a vane rotatablymounted on the upper end of said shaft and disposed within the sectionto extend transversely of the cylindrical sidewalls to be driven by adraft of air passing through the bottom and out of the top of thesection, said cylindrical side walls having a plurality of spacedupwardly inclined vent tubes projecting outwardly therefrom and disposedbelow the vane to augment the draft in said section, a second shaftextending transversely of and carried by the cylindrical side walls andhaving one end drivingly connected to said first shaft and the other endprojecting from the side walls, a spring motor mounted on the outside ofthe cylindrical side walls, means connecting the projecting end of thesecond shaft to' the spring motor to wind the same in response torotation of said vane, and a flexible cable connected to the springmotor to be driven thereby, said cable being adapted to be connected toa remotely disposed clock or the like to maintain the same in a woundcondition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS559,853 Johnson May 12, 1896 687,242 Kikut Nov. 26, 1901 963,854Busenbenz Oct. 25, 1910 1,013,798 'Messina Jan. 2, 1912 1,112,203Fandrey Sept. 29, 1914 1,522,073 Odom Jan. 6, 1925 2,477,681 AndersonAug. 2, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3,144,098 August 11 1964 Domenick F, Mingrone It is herebycertified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiringcorrection and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedbelow.

Column 4, line 11, for "963,854" read 973,854

This certificate. supersedes Certificate of Correction issued December8, 1964.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April 1965 (SEAL) littest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER A-ttesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3, 144,098 August ll, 1964 Domenick F0 Mingrone It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 11, for "963,854" read 973,854

This certificate supersedes Certificate of Correction issued December 8,1964,

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER' EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

